Feature Request: More control over Windows update downloads (especially for online gaming)

Copper Contributor

Hi,

I am still on windows 10 so this is hopefully either already on the plan for Windows 11 or already implemented.

Here is my feature request and a little background:

Automatic windows update downloads have become a major annoyance. I am only using my Windows PC for online gaming recently and there can be sometimes weeks going by between sessions.

Now whenever I want to play some rocket league, Windows downloads updates in the background, causing massive lag and packet loss in the game.

I know that it is possible to limit the download speed using the advanced options in the "delivery optimization" but I noticed some issues:

1. I don't understand what is considered "background" downloading, since I only limited the download rate for background downloads first but the system kept on downloading full throttle. I then also limited the speed for "foreground" downloading and only then did it actually affect the speed, although I don't have windows update related GUIs open. It would be great if someone could explain how this is supposed to work and what is considered foreground and background downloading here.

2. A general limit is not really beneficial, as it would be way more efficient to download full throttle when no game is running.

I wish there would be more options, e. g. use a black list of executables that immediately pause downloads for windows updates when they run or more general settings to generally disallow any downloads while any software that can be considered being a game is running...

There could even be APIs to allow platforms like steam or the microsoft store environment to make "disallow downloads while playing" features to not only affect downloads within the platform but instead also pause downloads handled by the OS. But that would then be the really fancy solution I guess.

Providing more fine grained control over update downloads would be really beneficial. I am running on a 100mbit DSL line in Germany.

I want updates ASAP but I don't want the system to interfer with my gaming sessions with the limited time I find for gaming already... I cannot accept always waiting for gigabytes of update downloads to finish and continuously fiddling around with limits and disabling and reenabling them just to have a smooth gaming experience is really not a nice solution.

Please let me know if I am missing something. Maybe there are some advanced things not accessible by the UI or this is already improved on Windows 11?

I am happy to update to Windows 11 soon, if there are benefits for my situation.

1 Reply

@jacqueskloster Hi

 

I suggest you set 100% (in the foreground, and 5% (background download)
It is best to manually check the update and then ( download and install ) = this is the download in the foreground at this time you decide for yourself when you install
if you disable (install as soon as possible), you need to look at the update settings more often.
Best regards